We asked who you needed to buy for and there was an overwhelming request for what to buy for a boy beyond trucks and building toys. 

Here's our recommendations to make your shopping easier this holiday season: 

For boys over 8

Banangrams and Alphabet Dice are two of the hottest games this year. Each is a different spin on the traditional Scrabble where game play is faster and letter combinations change quickly to help you spell your way to victory. 

The card game Loot is a unique strategy game that's also easy to transport. And if you're looking for a fun party game in card format, try Cranium Cards. 

The new Disgusting Science range is proving popular with boys and girls alike where kids learn about everything from the science behind special effects - fake blood anyone? - to your favourite gags and pranks. 

View our full collection of products ideal for over 8 year old boys here. 

For 5-7 year old boys

Seedling craft and exploration kits are a great choice, check out the Create Your Own Sock Toy or Great Adventure Kit.   

One of our favourite games for this age group is Rush Hour - choose from original, deluxe or our favourite, Safari Rush Hour. There are 60 different setups of varying difficulty making it entertaining for hours. 

We also recommend games like award winning Rory's Story Cubes and Story Cubes Actions where you roll the dice and make up your own story with different scoring rules to increase the complexity. 

And for boys like my son who still likes a soft toy to play with and cuddle, check out our Smoodoos like Sporty, Boxx, Bigg and iRat. 

View our full collection of products ideal for 5-7 year old boys here. 

For 3-4 year old boys

Pretend play is big in this group and we love the idea of magnetic creative sets. Reusable and easy to pack away, yet hours of imaginative fun. Check out Melissa & Doug's Joey or our Mudpuppy kits of Robots, Construction and Outer Space. 

Get creative with stamps featuring everything from dinosaurs to vehicles and more unusual Potato Heads and Knights. 

Feed the Woozle is a wonderful award winning game for this age group. Kids work together as a team to select food and carry it to the mouth of the Woozle. Great for motor skills and early counting as well as a little laughter. 

This is a great age to start out on Jigsaw puzzles with some fun images for boys like Construction Crowd or In the Galaxy, or the two-sided Very Hungry Caterpillar Puzzle. 

View our full collection of products ideal for 3-4 year old boys here. 

For boys under 3 years old

Little ones will love some of the fantastic retro styled tin toys on offer. Choose from the traditional Jack in the Box or Spinning Humming Top (we love the foot to help it stand up). For something unique try the ABC Radio or Chime Ball. 

Our range of Brainy Kids Games like Bright Buttons are designed for toddlers to enjoy game play. Simple rules and actions introduce board games while developing motor skills and social skills. 

Introduce beautiful wooden puzzles to develop motor skills and matching. Choose from peg puzzles or chunky pieces depending on their age and development. 

We also love the Eric Carle range of games. Introduce colours with Animals Animals Colour Bingo. The travel versions of the Very Hungry Caterpillar Game and ABC Game are compact yet offer the full game in a handy pack away tin box. 

View our full collection of products ideal for under 3 year old boys here. 

Do you ever make decisions about what to allow in your house and then wonder if you did the right thing? In our house, both parents have firm beliefs in encouraging independent thinking, pursuit of facts to make choices and acceptance of the imperfect world we inhabit. However, we also wonder how quickly the warts and all of life should be exposed to our innocent little people. 

We have started a new habit in our household recently. When I make dinner, we put the news on the TV in the background. The kids are often tired and would prefer Cartoon Network or Wii, but I think we need to call time on kids entertainment via TV at some point in the day so for me, this is it. 

Yesterday, a segment came on about people with Tourrettes Syndrome. It was well presented, but a little confronting. And my eldest child, about to turn 9 and in grade 3, was absorbed by what she was learning. I made the choice not to shield her from any of it while she was watching, after all, some families live with the hardship of disease, disability, or loss every day. Just because we are fortunate in this regard didn't seem to me a reason she should not see another perspective. 

However, she was also visibly shaken by the sadness she saw in what she was watching. We sat together. We talked about it. We found parallels to both the bullying that happens at schools and to our own insecurities as we learn to love ourselves even when we might be slightly different to others. Certainly we found a way to put the situation into context, but also to highlight the reality that our world does not match the ideal of perfect depicted in fairy tales. 

It's a tricky lesson, and one that is better learnt sooner than later. But I'm still curious about how much shelter and protection is right at this age versus helping our kids gradually experience the world that they will help shape though their choices as they gain independence. 

What decisions have you made about exposing your children to the realities of life? 

Starting next Monday, we will be participating in the 12 week Parent Manifesto put together by Jodie Benveniste. 

I've been reading some of Jodie's blog posts about parenting and at least one even made it onto our Facebook page. So when Jodie offered me the chance to participate and share my experiences, I was eager to try it out despite the fact that long ago I decided that parenting advice was not my cup of tea. 

There are two main things I sense are different about this program, and both are completely aligned to what Oola is all about. 

1. Confidence in our individual choices. We want Oola kids to build confidence through play. How much of that is reinforcing what we do as parents? The Parent Manifesto promises to support my choices, not tell me what I should do differently. 
2. Catering for time-poor parents. Let's face it, what parent is not in this category. Oola parents choose us in part because we're fast - order Monday and have your gift in time for the weekend party. Jodie assures me that only 1 hour per week is required. 

We'll be sharing our experiences of this program on the Oola Blog and hope you'll consider coming along on the journey with us. 

Signup for the next Manifesto here. 

And let us know how it goes. 

Models: the very foundation of creativity. To piece one together is a feat that promotes logic and problem-solving, not to mention it encourages that interest of crafting in your child. And since the complexity of puzzles and models improve your child’s cognitive functions, we recommend the following fun model-toys, perfect for your children 9 to 10 years of age.

Whether you have plans for your kid to be an Engineer, Doctor, or Archaeologist, Oola delivers the tools you need to not only make learning fun but also fully educational.

Make the story come Alive!

Based on the best selling author Eric Carle’s book: The Very Hungry Caterpillar Oola gives a brand new take on making a story come alive for your young ones in this new group of fun-ducational toys.

Presenting The Very Hungry Caterpillar Game Tin, a diverse and informative game designed on taking change and adding beauty to the mix. This artistic set of cards provides insight into Eric Carle’s amazing understanding of a child’s perception on change. Help your kid understand the concept of progression as he follows the Caterpillar on its journey to self-realization in this colourful and simplified version of the book. Let him go on his own journey of self discovery, and watch as your child dawns upon new knowledge that is sure to brighten up his thinking. Whatever your child does with it is a guaranteed precursor to better results in developing his cognitive functions and perception.

Love puzzles? Then grab the Very Hungry Caterpillar Jumbo Floor Puzzle, another great Carle-themed puzzled brought to you by Oola. This decorative piece of learning challenges your child in the ways of logic and critical thinking. Each case comes complete with thirty-six fully coloured puzzle pieces creating a detailed illustration straight from the book! Not only can your child watch as the caterpillar becomes a beautiful butterfly, but he can make one himself as well and join in the wonderful journey of belief and self-confidence. This beautiful puzzle-set comes with an easy-to-carry suitcase to store your puzzle pieces after use, or you can even place it in his room or frame it as a sign of his achievements. 

These educational and eye-catching products from Eric Carle’s The Very Hungry Caterpillar book and brought to you by Oola is a definite must buy for any fan of his work. And if you aren’t already, then we guarantee you’ll love it after a small peek. These one of a kind educational toys are perfect for young, promising toddlers three and above of age and their parents looking to make a bright and happy future for their children.

Do your kids like a puzzling challenge once in a while? 

With Square by Square, Thinkfun have found a great way to entertain kids who like to reason out how shapes fit together. They cater for varying abilities (and age groups) with the 60 challenge cards that build in difficulty level. 

Research has shown that playing these sorts of puzzles is great for developing cognitive skills across all age groups, even adults and seniors. Yet, for those of us not too bothered about our rating on the brainiac scale, the game is simple fun. 

Choose a pattern you'd like to create. Arrange the green and blue pieces to fit within the provided square tray to make the shape you've selected. But watch out, it's not quite as easy as it seems. My kids were quick to point out that you can turn the card over and it gets easy to put the pieces in - yep, when you look at the solution, the puzzle is simple. 

The good news is that with a little guidance, like put the big pieces in first, my 6 and 8 year old both enjoyed this game and it's sibling, Shape by Shape. And truth be told, I also couldn't resist a few rounds once I saw them having a go. 

Do you enjoy logic puzzles? Share your favourite in the comments. 

Expose Kids to Fractions and Division through Stories 

This week's book is one that picks up on some of the mathematical skills that kids pick up through other channels. Just like building spatial reasoning through putting together puzzle pieces, kids can understand mathematical concepts well before they 'officially' learn them in school.

The Doorbell Rang is all about sharing Grandma's cookies. And each time the doorbell rings, there's more children at the door to share the cookies, presenting a great way to introduce division across the growing number of kids arriving. 

The illustrations are in a cartoon style and filled with bright colour. There's a cat to find on each page that adds an additional element of enjoyment for kids. Plus, principles of fairness and sharing reinforce social development throughout. 

Look out for the surprise ending! 

If you enjoy our book reviews, please share with your friends and let us know in the comments. 

See other recent book reviews: 

Snow Party

Flotsam

Looking for a new puzzle? 

We are honoured to be a Nominee in the Emerging Entrepreneur category of this year's AusMumpreneur Awards. We've had a fabulous first eight months in business at Oola working hard to ensure that online shopping is simple and great value for busy parents. There is still so much to come. We value your feedback and look forward to continuing to provide great ideas for playtime. 

We're also in the People's Choice Awards for Best Customer Service so we need your support. Please vote for us!

Here's how: 

1. Become a member of Connect2Mums - it's free and required to vote. 

2. Go to the Customer Service Category. 

3. Look for the photo of our founder in the warehouse: 

4. Click 'like' at the end of our story. 

Thank you so much for your support. As always, contact us with any feedback or questions via Facebook, our Contact Us page, or in the comments below. 

Today's link love features three great posts that are timely as we head into the end of June and the July school holidays. I loved the reflection on being a parent from Geralyn Murray in "Can you catch bravery from your kids". 

If you're staying home for the holidays, you won't want to miss the Simple Wood Crafts to keep little ones busy, and for all of us who allow a little screen time in the holidays, here are some iPhone/iPod app suggestions for kids. 

Link Love: 

• Can you catch bravery from your kids … perspective on parenting 

• 25 Best iPhone Apps for Kids

Have a great weekend.